Explore "Santa Fe's Partner" by Thomas A. Janvier on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
As I've said, folks in Palomitas mostly got for names what happened to come handiest and fitted. Likely that dude's cuffs was marked with something he was knowed by; but as most of us wasn't particular what his cuffs was marked, or him either, we just called him Boston -- after the town he made out he belonged to -- and let it go at that. Big game was what he said he was looking for: and Santa Fe Charley, with Shorty Smith and others helping, saw to it he got all he wanted and some over -- but I reckon the exercises would a-been less spirited if the Sage-Brush Hen hadn't chipped in and played a full hand.
He was one of the sporting kind, Boston was, that turned up frequent in the Territory in them days. Most of 'em was friends of officers at some of the posts, with a sprinkling throwed in of sons and nephews of directors of the road. Big game was what they all made out they come for; and they was apt to have about as much use for big game -- when they happened to find any -- as a cat has for two tails. But they seemed to enjoy letting off ca'tridges -- and used to buy what skins was in the market to take home.